


Sacred Bands

by kimberlyeab



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F, Future Fic, Military, Outer Space, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:40:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28776216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimberlyeab/pseuds/kimberlyeab
Summary: Besieged by a hostile empire, the planet of Thebes has endured for generations.Their survival is in no small part due to the Sacred Bands: an elite fighter squadron made up entirely of lesbian lovers.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Female Character
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter One

“Do you promise to be faithful to this woman?” the barrister asked. His weathered eyes read from a text that was older than the office it was spoken in.

“I do,” replied Rebecca Agincourt, holding one hand to her breast as the other lingered upon the tome between her and her wife.

“I do,” Ashley Reed repeated. Her hands were in a similar position as well.

She looked up at her partner, offering her a warm smile. It was the kind of smile that Rebecca had fallen in love with in the first place. The kind of smile that nearly made her tune out the monotonous drone of the barrister as he continued with the ceremony.

“And do you promise to be with each other through sickness and through health?” he asked.

Another pair of promises that would be upheld until the day the duo died.

Rebecca glanced to her side, seeing the two families assembled. Her own mothers and the mothers of her companion. All four were in their dress uniforms. A sea of medals adorned their collective chests. They seemed proud, barely able to restrain their glee at the ceremony that was unfolding before them.

“And do you promise to give each other happiness through the many long days and nights before you?” the barrister asked.

“Hell yes, I do,” Ashley said, chuckling. “I’m an expert at offering happiness.”

One of Ashley’s mothers laughed as well. Though the other, less than discretely elbowed her in the side.

Rebecca couldn’t help but grin. “Yes, I do.”

The barrister nodded, seemingly unphased by Ashley’s little deviation from the norm. “And do you promise to dedicate your love and matrimony to the defense of Thebes?”

The two of them made eye contact, daring the other to say their half first. When neither did, they spoke it with a practiced unison.

_“I do.”_

The barrister finally allowed himself a smile.

“Then with the gods as our witnesses,” he said. “I hereby declare you wife and wife. Congratulations and welcome to the Sacred Bands, Pilot Third Class Agincourt-Reed and Petty Officer Agincourt-Reed.”

The two of them leaned over the sacred text between them, sharing in a kiss as their mothers proudly cheered them on. Rebecca briefly wondered if some of their energetic cheering came from memories of sharing in a similar ceremony so many years ago. Though such thoughts were quickly whisked away as Ashley placed a hand upon the back of her neck and turned their little peck of affection into a truly matrimonial kiss.

As they eventually, and reluctantly, parted, Ashley gave a beaming smile. Her wife brushed a tender hand across her complexion and cupped her cheek gently.

“We did it, babe,” she whispered.

Rebecca nodded, still a little dumbfounded by her wife’s energy. “Yeah, we did.”

Off to the side, someone cleared their throat and the two new wives quickly turned towards the event’s final guest.

It was a grizzled woman with short red hair that bore many streaks of grey. She was stout but powerful with a left leg made of metal that clinked against the ground as she approached the party. A black eyepatch covered her left eye with a scar providing accents along the top and bottom of it. Like the mothers she wore a uniform though she bore even more medals and commendations.

“Congratulations, you two,” she said. “That was a beautiful ceremony.”

Ashley offered a polite smile. “Thank you, Captain Constantine. And thank you for attending.”

Captain Constantine smirked. “It’s the least I could do. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing two warriors brought together like this.” She nodded. “But don’t let me hold you up for long. Enjoy your honeymoon, I’d say you’ve earned it.”

“Of course, ma’am,” Rebecca said. “And may I say that it’s an honour to be selected for the Bands.”

“You two were a natural choice,” Constantine said. Her tone was diplomatically as she glanced at the highly decorated mothers in attendance. “But don’t let me keep you from your fun. I will see you both in two weeks’ time.”

With that, the wedding party all offered half-hearted salutes. Constantine accepted them with a polite nod and then made her way out of the office, her leg clanking with every step she took.

It was only a moment before things were back in full swing.

All four mothers approached, besieging their daughters with comments about how good the ceremony was and how beautiful they looked together. This went on until the barrister cleared his throat with as much discretion as possible.

The hint was picked up, however, and everybody filed out into the hall.

After all, there were other couples looking to be wed and bureaucracy didn’t have much time to just give away like that. No matter how important the ceremony was to the people present.

The next couple seemed to be a man and a woman, a civilian marriage. Though that was all Rebecca could discern before she was whisked away by the entourage of mothers towards the city hall’s main lobby.

As they progressed, people would stop to look at them. Four women in uniform, with another two who were obviously going to join them shortly. It was quite the sight to behold. The attention was enough to make Rebecca skittish but at least Ashley was there to hold her hand.

Her wife proved to be a safe harbour on a stormy sea.

“That was such a lovely ceremony,” Rebecca’s mother, Charlotte said.

She ruffled her daughter’s poofy black hair.

A bit of red entered Rebecca’s olive-coloured complexion.

“It was nice of Constantine to show up,” Ashley’s own mother, Linda said. She gently rested a hand against her daughter’s pale shoulder. “She tries to make it to all these ceremonies but…”

“She’s getting a little old,” Ashley’s other mother, Teresa chided, chuckling even as her wife glared at her. She then playfully stuck out her tongue. “What? It’s true.”

As they talked, they entered the atrium of Athen’s town hall.

This building was one of the greatest works of architecture on the planet. While most buildings were pre-fabricated in the city, the town hall was done by artisans and experts brought all the way from Earth. Back when such a thing was still possible.

The main lobby was an arena of lime and marble with a gorgeous bronze statue in the middle. It was of a winged woman, holding a bushel of grain to her chest and a sabre afloat above her head. Her hair was flowing and she looked like a goddess of war ready to strike down her foes.

“Always blows me away that Earth used to waste resources on stuff like this,” Teresa said.

Ashley nodded, looking at her mother. “I suppose it was done during better times.”

“At least we’re still here to enjoy it,” Charlotte commented.

Linda cleared her throat. “Our reservation is in a few minutes, ladies.”

Connected to the lobby was a little bistro with a few professional looking bureaucrats coming out and chatting amongst themselves. It seemed a bit more high-class than what Rebecca was used to but if there was ever a day to be treated right, it would be today.

A white sign sat next to the door. It listed today’s specials and Rebecca was pleased to see that they had salmon on the menu. A treat she had not had in many months.

“This place has been here forever,” Ashley said, reaching down and clutching her wife’s hand. “Apparently my moms went here after their ceremony.”

Rebecca nodded.

A polite looking waiter saw their entourage approach, bowing his head.

“And how may I serve such esteemed service women today?” he asked.

Linda smiled at him. “We have a reservation for six. The Agincourt-Reed wedding.”

The waiter looked down and consulted his board. “Ah yes I see you right here. If you’d please follow me.” As they stepped into the restaurant, he looked at them. “Accept my congratulations on the wedding and thank you for your future service.”

Rebecca held her tongue, unsure of what to say.

Thankfully Ashley was there to take over. “You’re very welcome.”

The interior of the restaurant was just as prestigious as the outside with white tables covered with silk cloth. They were set with fine china and cutlery made from real silver. Bureaucrats dressed in expensive clothing chattered amongst themselves, discussing the affairs of the planet and local ventures.

Though as the party passed, these bureaucrats would pause and glance at the six women. Some did so with respects, others with awe, and only the rare few looked at them with indifference.

“Probably not used to seeing this many women in uniform,” Ashley whispered.

Rebecca nodded. “We’re not even in uniform, yet.”

“No,” Ashley admitted, “but our wedding gowns are a pretty clear indicator that we’ll be wearing uniforms soon enough.”

The waiter arrived at their table, motioning towards it. He politely listed off the day’s specials and the occasional menu item that was currently out of stock. Thankfully, they still had salmon which meant that Rebecca was mostly set.

As they took a seat, Teresa flashed her with a teasing smile. “You kind of look a bit like a deer in the headlights today.”

Linda loudly cleared her throat and elbowed her wife in the side.

“It’s fine.” Rebecca held up her hand. “Just not used to getting this much attention is all.”

“You get used to it after a while,” her other mother, Theodora said. “Maybe we’re not quite rock stars but people still look up to us. Reason we can swing reservations at a place like this.”

“I do have a question,” Ashley said.

Charlotte smiled. “And what would that be?”

“What’s it like when you finally get aboard the Themiskyra?” she asked.

“It’s a lot to take in,” Charlotte replied, grabbing her napkin and spreading it out across her lap. “You’ll meet a whole bunch of new people really quickly. However, if you just follow your NCO’s lead than you two will be perfectly fine.”

“And just remember you won’t be the only new couple onboard either,” Teresa said, picking up a fork and inspecting it. “They usually bring on about half a dozen new couples at once. Usually, you’ll become fast friends with your cohort.” She grinned. “Isn’t that right, Theo?”

Theodora nodded. “Honestly the first couple of weeks are just a bunch of lectures and combat sims. The hard stuff doesn’t start until the second or third month.”

“You’ll enjoy piloting though,” Charlotte said, motioning to Ashley. “Nothing like your first time in the cockpit of one of those Spitfires.”

Rebecca reached out and grabbed the wine menu, casually reading it as the conversation flowed around her. Piloting didn’t seem like a topic that was honestly that applicable to her.

“What about you, ‘Beca?” Linda asked.

She stirred, blinking and returning to the moment as she looked at her mother-in-law. “Pardon?”

“Told you,” Teresa teased. “This one is totally like a deer in the headlights.”

Charlotte smiled politely at her daughter. “Was there anything you wanted to know before you headed up?”

“I mean not really.” Rebecca shrugged. “Ashley gets to do all the hard work. I just need to make sure I know how to fire the cannons and launch missiles and what not.”

“It’s not as easy as that,” Linda cut in. “You’re just as responsible for the safety and functionality of the ship as your pilot. Plus, you’ll also be the one who has to do all the pre-flight inspections. Your choices are life and death.”

_No pressure._

Theodora nodded. “I’m sure they’ll give you a proper education while you’re up there.” She then hummed as she studied her menu. “Did you find anything that you liked?”

Rebecca blinked again and then realized that she’d been reading the wine menu without actually reading it.

“Not really,” she admitted. “I don’t really know wine.”

Ashley smirked and carefully took the menu from her. “Well how about we get a bottle of white. You liked that chardonnay we had last week. Plus, it’ll go well with your salmon.”

“How did you know I was getting the salmon?” Rebecca asked.

“Because I know how much you like salmon,” Ashley said. “You order it whenever you get a chance.”

“Do I?” Rebecca asked, blinking as she tried to recall this.

Ashley nodded and gave her a playful peck on the cheek. She then looked at the assembled mothers. “Does chardonnay sound good?”

They all gave their affirmation.

“I’ll probably get myself a gin and tonic as well,” Teresa said, flashing a smile.

Linda cocked a brow. “At two in the afternoon.”

“What? We’re on leave?”

Linda’s brow went higher.

“I’ll get something with plenty of carbs in it,” Teresa offered, smiling from ear-to-ear. “You’ll hardly even notice.”

Linda didn’t seem pleased, her brow refusing to budge.

“It’s a special day and we should celebrate,” Teresa interjected, motioning to the other people present. “Right?”

“It’s fine, mom,” Ashley said, snickering as she glanced from one mother to the other. “Teresa is way more interesting with a little gin in her anyways.”

“You were always my favourite daughter,” Teresa said.

“I’m your only daughter,” Ashley retorted, rolling her eyes.

“Been ages since we got a chance to sit down in a proper restaurant,” Linda commented, eying up the menu. “Constantine has been pretty stingy with giving leaves lately.”

“I’ve been reading that things aren’t going particularly well, the system over,” Rebecca said.

Linda nodded. “The Anatolians have been forcing their way past the defense platforms guarding the wormhole. Thankfully there hasn’t been anything that we can’t clean up.” She sighed. “Been keeping us on our toes, though.”

“I don’t know what they honestly expect,” Teresa said, snorting. “Anything bigger than a transport shuttle gets iced by the MAC Guns. Anything smaller will get eaten up by a torpedo from one of our Spitfires. It just feels like a waste of perfectly good spaceships.”

“What are they thinking?” Ashley asked.

Before any of the parents could reply, the waiter returned. A wine was selected, Teresa got her gin, and a couple of appetizers were procured. They were dishes that sounded fancy, though Rebecca had never sampled them before in her life. But if her mothers spoke highly of them then she supposed she’d have to try them out.

Finally, when the waiter slipped away, Theodora looked at Ashley, pointing at her with her fork. “The problem is that none of them really think. There’s exactly one thing that thinks in that entire Empire. And, if it wants our planet, it doesn’t care what it takes to get to it.”

“Nothing’s getting through Thermopylae though,” Teresa said. “That warp gate pretty much funnels everything into our cannons and artillery.

“The perks of being on the end node of a faster-than-light space lane,” Rebecca said.

Theodora nodded. “No way we’d be able to hold otherwise.”

Ashley frowned. “Would be nice to know if we’re the only ones left, though. Surely, we should be trying to slip a couple of recon pods through.”

“Who says we aren’t,” Teresa grumbled.

Theodora cleared her throat and glared at her.

“What?” Teresa asked, holding a hand to her chest. “I’m not saying anything that they won’t find out about in a month into their training. Only thing leakier than the pipes on the Themiskyra is the rumour mill.”

“So, we are attempting to reach out,” Ashley said. She was smiling at the idea. “It’s been decades since we’ve heard anything from any of the other colonies.”

Teresa was about to speak but held her tongue as the other three mothers all glared at her. Instead, she simply sighed and shook her head.

“You’ll find out in a couple of weeks,” she said.

Before the conversation could return to the topic, a few of the wait staff returned, placing down two bottles of wine and a couple trays of rich smelling food. It was enough to make Rebecca’s stomach growl, reminding her she hadn’t eaten since breakfast.

The head waiter offered a polite smile. “I have the pleasure of letting you know that your meal has been covered by another of the guests. They wish to thank you for your service.”

Teresa grinned and looked at the newlyweds. “One of the perks of joining up, kids.”

* * *

[Visit my website if you want to find more of my work](https://kimberlyeab.carrd.co/)


	2. Chapter 2

“How do I not know your favourite colour?” Rebecca asked, shaking her head. “We’ve been dating for what…”

“Three years at this point,” Ashley cut in, chuckling and gently bumping her hips against her wife’s.

“We must’ve talked about it at some point.” Rebecca loudly clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “Is it purple?”

Ashley blinked. “Huh, so you did remember?”

Rebecca bit her lip.

“Rebecca…” Ashley started.

“So, uh… I got some good news and I got some bad news,” Rebecca said.

“Start with the good news,” Ashley teased, throwing her a playful smile.

They continued forwards along the dirt path, surrounded on all sides by a canvas of evergreen trees and wilderness. Athens was surrounded by parks like this, the product of New Urbanism and a fresh canvas to design the city of tomorrow upon.

Not that Rebecca minded. It was comforting to be outside of the city and surrounded by nature. Even if this nature was heavily managed and altered to a level that made it usable by the urban crowds who lived nearby.

With a pack on her back and walking stick in hand, Rebecca forgot about the things that worried her.

She wondered if the settlers who landed here more than a two century ago had felt something like this. This carefree and euphoric.

“Yoo hoo, Thebes to Rebecca, Thebes to Rebecca, over,” Ashley said, waving a hand in front of her eyes.

Rebecca blinked, stirring from her stupor. “Sorry, sorry, got… sucked into the moment.”

“Everything alright?” Ashley asked, looking just a little bit worried.

Rebecca nodded slowly. “Just wondering when we’ll get another week like this?”

“Probably after a couple years of busting our asses and climbing through the ranks aboard the Themiskyra,” Ashley said. “I think my moms got a two week leave after their sixth year aboard?” She sighed. “Are you nervous about going up?”

“Maybe a little,” Rebecca said. “I still find it really strange that we even got picked in the first place.”

“Why’s that?” Ashley asked. “You’re super good at math, and I’m super good at piloting. Plus, we’re lesbians. That’s literally the three most important criteria if you want to get picked for the Sacred Bands.” She snorted. “Also helps that our moms have been grooming us since birth.”

Rebecca blinked. “Your moms have been doing that?”

“They did,” Ashley said, sighing. “Didn’t yours?”

Rebecca thought about it for a moment, looking back to her childhood.

Though before she could really get into these memories, Ashley cut in. “Anyways why don’t you think you’d be a good pick?”

“I just… I don’t know… I don’t feel like a good fit,” Rebecca admitted. “I’m not some brave hero who can…”

Ashley stopped dead in her tracks, wheeling around so she was facing her wife. “Rebecca, babe…”

“Yes?”

“Can you calculate the necessary flight speed of a missile so it can hit a ten-metre target at two-hundred kilometers away?” Ashley asked.

Rebecca nodded.

“Then who cares if you’re brave,” Ashley said. “Leave the bravery to me. Just do your job well and everything else will come naturally to you.”

Rebecca bit her lip. “You promise?”

“I mean I can’t really promise something on your behalf but I have a good feeling about this.” She dipped forwards and gave Rebecca a little kiss on the lips. “Anyways what was the good news?”

“Good news?” Rebecca asked, blinking. “What good news?”

“About my favourite colour,” Ashley said.

Rebecca paused for a moment, trying to process what she meant before she burst out laughing. “Oh, I just wanted to let you know that we had the same favourite colour!”

Ashley snorted. “Huh, go figure.”

Together they made their way higher, traversing the well-kept paths through the park. It wasn’t long before they reached their destination, a little ridge that overlooked the forest and valley below. On the horizon, was the city of Athens.

With all the metal and glass, it seemed to shimmer in the glow of the planet’s distant star.

Ashley took off her pack and placed it next to a tree. She reached inside and produced a blanket, laying it out.

Rebecca also shed her pack before taking a seat. “Wonder when we’ll get a chance to do this again?”

“Have a picnic?” Ashley asked, joining her. “Probably whenever we get ourselves another leave.”

Rebecca nodded and grabbed a large aluminum container, placing it between them. When she opened it, a faint cool breeze touched her hand.

“Old tech is always better at this type of stuff,” she commented.

Ashley smirked. “Not a bad find for twelve dollars. Think it’s really from Earth?”

“I mean it does say that it’s a product of Vietnam,” Rebecca said. “I think that may have once been a theme back on Earth?”

Ashley reached inside her backpack and grabbed a bottle of wine, twisting it open. Rebecca produced a pair of plastic cups, holding them out. Ashley filled each about half full before recapping the bottle and placing it between them.

Rebecca handed her a cup and together they held them out.

“You want to do the honours?” Ashley asked.

Rebecca hummed. “To a happy marriage?”

“Babe,” Ashley said, cocking a brow. “We’ve toasted to that like five times this week. How about…” She snapped her fingers, “to a lifetime of adventures?”

Rebecca smirked. “I could drink to that.”

They tapped cups and each of them took a sip. The wine was sweeter than Rebecca expected. It almost felt like it should’ve gone with dessert and not the main course.

Speaking of which…

She reached into the aluminum lunch box and pulled out a platter of cheeses, cold cuts, and various vegetables, followed by a long loaf of bread.

Ashley withdrew a hunting knife, using it to saw the bread into more agreeable pieces.

“What do you think we would’ve done if the Bands hadn’t recruited us?” she asked.

Rebecca pursed her lips. “I mean, likely we would’ve gone into factory work. The Bands need more than just bodies after all. Somebody has to make the missiles and steel and fuel and well everything that goes into a war machine.”

“I think I would’ve liked to get into farming,” Ashley said, grabbing an olive and chewing on it. “Imagine getting to spend every day out here.”

“I don’t know, I think I’d miss the city. Be pretty hard to go clubbing, or get dinner, or well, do a lot of things,” Rebecca said.

She grabbed a piece of bread and started to spread goat cheese on it.

“I’ll admit that being away from the city would put a bit of a damper on the number of cute girls that we get to hook up with,” Ashley said. “Think any of the girls onboard the Themiskyra would be open to hooking up?”

Rebecca cocked a brow. “Babe, they essentially crammed a thousand lesbians into tight quarters with very little to do with their free time. Yes, yes, I think we’ll be able to find other girls to hook up with.”

“Conditions are ripe for drama,” Ashley commented. She took a sip of wine before nibbling on a piece of cheese. “Though I suppose our moms are doing alright.”

“They do seem pretty close,” Rebecca agreed.

She glanced at Ashley and Ashley looked back at her. Both of their eyes had widened.

“Do you think…” Ashley started.

Rebecca snorted. “Our moms? No way.”

“Maybe we should talk about something else,” Ashley whispered.

Rebecca nodded in agreement.

Her gaze flicked back towards the city as she stared absently at it. Occasionally, she would swirl the contents of her cup and take a sip.

“You seem awfully stoic,” Ashley teased.

Rebecca smirked. “Don’t I always?”

“Something on your mind?” Ashley asked. She slid over, leaning against her wife. “Or are you just taking in the view.”

“Just taking in the view,” Rebecca replied.

She reached for the plaster between them, picking up a piece of meat and taking a bite. It was spicy and salty but she adored the flavour. Spice was always a good thing to add to any meal.

“I wonder how many planets have a view like this,” she whispered, glancing at Ashley.

Ashley shrugged. “I’m sure every planet has its own special view. But a view exactly like this one?” She shook her head. “I don’t know, maybe twenty planets, a hundred? There are an awful lot of rocks out there, babe.” She grinned. “Hell, when we’re in space, we can find a view like this on one of our moons, or the next planet over. Imagine that?”

“It’d be wild,” Rebecca agreed. “Though those views would be missing out on one pretty important detail.”

“What’s that?” Ashley asked.

Rebecca drew an inch away, placing a hand upon Ashley’s cheek. She gently caressed her complexion, making sure to look her in the eye.

“Those views would require a space suit and if we’re wearing space suits…” She chuckled. “Then we can’t kiss.”

Before Ashley could reply, Rebecca leaned forwards, pressing her lips hungrily against her wife’s own. They lingered like that, basking in the bliss of one another’s presence. Though their hands soon joined in.

One of Rebecca’s ran down her wife’s side.

And one of Ashley’s came forth, grabbing the collar of Rebecca’s shirt and holding her tight, keeping the kiss going.

A spark crackled between them and a hunger seemed to fill Ashley. Her fingers were clumsy, fondling at the buttons on Rebecca’s top. Slowly, she popped them open, one after another, until there was enough room for her to slide a hand underneath. She cupped her wife’s breast, giving it a gentle squeeze through her bra.

It was enough to etch forth a moan from Rebecca. She could feel a fire smolder within her core and soon she joined in, sliding a hand down to Ashley’s hip before slipping it under her blouse and groping clumsily at her.

There were two opposing factions battling within Rebecca’s mind. On one hand she wouldn’t dare break away from her wife at a time like this. Her kiss, her touch, her breath and scent. It was all so intoxicating, drawing her inwards like a woman enraptured by the very essence of the Goddess Aphrodite.

On the other hand, pulling away would make stripping much easier.

The kiss lasted for only a couple more seconds before the two of them snapped back in unison. Their minds were truly linked in this decision.

“Are we seriously doing this outside?” Rebecca asked.

Ashley nodded quickly. “Come on, hun. We haven’t seen anyone else all day. I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

Rebecca paused for a moment, wondering if this was really the best idea. But in the end, her wife made rational thinking almost impossible.

“You’re right,” she whispered.

She reached for her belt, pulling it off quickly. “No one is going to find us.”

* * *

It turned out that Rebecca really should’ve trusted the rational part of her brain.

Though by the time they were discovered, they were already done with things. They were in the afterglow, tangled together upon their picnic blanket with their clothing littered around them.

Their voyeurs turned out to be two young men who yelped in surprise as they stumbled upon the newlyweds. They were petrified and were about to bolt off, when Ashley held up a hand.

“Sorry!” she called. “Didn’t think anyone else would be…”

“No, no,” one of the men said, stumbling back. “We totally should’ve knocked.”

“Knocked?” Rebecca asked.

“Knocked,” the other young man repeated, looking at his partner. “We’re outside?”

The two parties stood at an impasse, looking at one another like deer in the headlights. The men seemed frozen in place and Rebecca couldn’t very well get dressed with them watching.

Ashley grinned, nodding towards their backpacks “How about you guys come back in like ten minutes and you can help us finish off our second bottle of wine?”

The two men looked at each other and nodded.

“Yeah, we can do that,” the first said.

He had a green mohawk and chocolatey skin. A pair of glasses rested on his nose and he was pretty scrawny compared to his partner.

The second man nodded in agreement. His skin was pale like Ashley’s, while his hair was a fierce red compared to her blonde. His was kept long and tied into a ponytail. He was also fairly bulky, looking very much like someone who had done his fair share of hard work.

Both were young, no older than Ashley and Rebecca.

“Ten minutes,” Ashley repeated.

They nodded and went back down the hill, leaving them alone.

“No one will catch us?” Rebecca repeated, cocking a brow.

Ashley grinned. “Technically true. We were pretty much done with things when they showed up.” She drew the blanket away from her naked body, getting to her feet. “Come on, let’s get dressed. We have a double date in ten minutes.”

“Double date?” Rebecca asked. Then it clicked. “Oh! Do you think they’re…”

She started to pull on her outfit, doing her best to smooth out the creases. Though this proved to be futile, no matter how hard she tried.

“I have a good feeling that they are,” Ashley said. She then grinned. “They were probably planning to use this spot themselves.”

It didn’t take long before they were both dressed and ready for more polite company.

As promised, the two men returned, waving as they approached.

“Surprised to see anyone else out here,” green mohawk called. “Usually, these paths are pretty deserted at this time of the year.”

Ashley smirked, motioning to the other side of the blanket. “We’re on our honeymoon.”

“Oh!” the bulky one beamed. “Are you two from the Bands?”

“We are,” Rebecca answered. “Well… going to be.”

Ashley grabbed the fresh bottle of wine but then looked at the two plastic cups on the blanket. The only two cups they had thought to bring with them.

She smirked. “Do you two care about cooties?”

“We do not,” green mohawk said.

Ashley took a pull straight from the bottle before handing it to him. “My name is Ashley and my wife is Rebecca.”

Rebecca offered a polite smile.

“I’m Theseus,” the bulky man said.

Green mohawk bowed his head. “Asterius.”

“Oh, like the first king of Athens?” Rebecca asked, looking at Theseus. “Well, the first king of the Athens back on Earth.”

“The very same,” Theseus said.

Asterius smirked. “Our parents were pretty amused when we first told them we were dating.” He then nodded towards the duo. “So, which one of you is going to be the pilot?”

Ashley raised her hand.

“Makes sense,” Theseus said, grinning. “You kind of have that pilot look to you.”

“Pilots have a look?” Rebecca asked.

Theseus shrugged. “I mean she looks like one of those women from the posters they have in town.”

“Oh, are you two from around here?” Ashley asked.

“For now,” Asterius answered. “We’re heading up ourselves in a couple of weeks.”

“You are?” Rebecca asked.

They passed the wine around, each of them taking a pull. By the time it reached Rebecca, she looked at it, subtly cringing at the germs. She denied herself a sample and simply passed it along to Ashley who drank from it without complaint.

Theseus grinned. “They needed more bodies to man the stations at Thermopylae, so we signed up. Orientation is in two weeks.”

“What will you be doing up there?” Ashley asked.

“I’ll be working communications,” Asterius said. “Hell, maybe we’ll be hearing from each other at some point?”

“Maybe we will,” Rebecca replied.

Theseus puffed out his chest, holding a hand to it. “And I’ve been given the glorious task of…” He snorted. “Working as manual labour.”

“It’s very important work,” Asterius quipped.

“Someone needs to make sure those cannons have shells,” Rebecca said.

Ashley smirked. “Glad we’re sharing our wine with you then.” She then wagged her finger at them. “Just remember how good it was the first time we call in for support, okay?”

“Will do,” Asterius said, giving a very informal salute as he grinned at her.

Theseus grabbed the bottle and took his own sip. “This is pretty good wine.” He spun it around and read the label. “Ah, made over on the Champagne Islands, I shouldn’t be too surprised. Where did you get it from?

“A wedding gift from our former roommates,” Rebecca said, leaning against Ashley. “Though between you and me I think they were more excited about getting that apartment to themselves than they were about our actual wedding.”

“Places are hard to come by in Athens,” Asterius commented. “Why we’ve lived out here our entire lives.”

Theseus nodded. “Though we are close enough to the city that we get to enjoy the night life whenever we get a long weekend.”

“Which clubs do you guys go to?” Ashley asked.

She draped her arm over Rebecca's shoulder, rubbing it gently.

“Are you familiar with Dionysius Orgy?” Theseus asked.

Rebecca blushed at the name. “Can’t say that I am.”

Ashley on the other hand nodded. “Yeah that’s the gay club down near the shore, right?”

“The name is way more pervy than the reality,” Asterius said, winking at Rebecca. “Just a really good club. Booze is cheap and they have some extremely good DJs.”

“But if you’re looking for a sex club,” Theseus cut in, bearing a dangerous smile. “Then…”

Ashley cleared her throat, gently squeezing Rebecca’s shoulder. “I think we’ll be a little busy with uh… the Bands to get involved in that kind of stuff.” She leaned over and kissed Rebecca on the cheek. “Plus, Rebecca here is a little shy.”

Rebecca’s cheeks warmed further.

“I’m not shy,” she interjected. “I just believe that sex should be enjoyed in a more private setting, is all.”

“Well you’ll be in for a bit a culture shock once we’re aboard the Themiskyra,” Ashley teased.

“Is it true that they have public baths and pleasure lounges aboard?” Theseus asked.

Asterius rolled his eyes. “I wouldn’t believe those rumours if I were you.”

“I have no idea,” Ashley admitted, shrugging. “I’ve never been aboard before. Though I doubt that the colonial administration would really spare the money for something like that.”

“Your mom did say…” Rebecca began.

Suddenly there was a loud bang, louder than any Rebecca had ever heard in her life. It was like a hundred cars all backfiring at once or a dozen parades happening simultaneously within the same city plaza.

“Oh, my gods,” Theseus whispered, all the colour draining from his face.

He was looking at something that was happening behind them.

Ashley mirrored his phrase as she was the first to look over her shoulder.

Rebecca did so a moment later, her eyes widening to the size of saucers.

There was a streak of fire in the sky, like Artemis’ arrow curving along the horizon, tipped by the flames of Apollo. The scientific part of Rebecca’s mind knew this to be some sort of space debris, crashing through the planet’s atmosphere. But it was hard not to fall back upon the gods at such an awe-inspiring sight.

It arched through the air with such fury, much like Ares, and as Rebecca ran some numbers in her head, she knew its likely course.

“Fuck,” she whispered. “It’s… it’s heading for the city.”

“No way,” Ashley whispered.

Rebecca could see disbelief in her gaze but as the debris made its path, slowly her eyes fell to a hollow acceptance.

“They’ll make it to the bunkers,” Ashley whispered. “Right?”

“Right,” Rebecca lied.

Some would but there is no way that an entire city could evacuate in such a short amount of time.

The debris continued on its course and Rebecca watched it like a woman possessed. It was horrifying, yet she would not dare flinch away.

“It’s not going to hit dead on,” Arsterius whispered. “Thank the gods.”

And Rebecca realized that he was telling the truth.

Though before she could voice this, it impacted, smashing into one of the southernmost suburbs of the city. It landed like thunder from Zeus, sending up a mushroom cloud of debris into the sky. A shockwave shot out from the impact site, battering the rest of the city with even more lethal destruction.

A shockwave radiated outwards, washing over the city. A shockwave that was also heading directly towards them.

“Get down,” Ashley barked.

She grabbed Rebecca and pulled her down, pinning her to the earth and covering her with her own body.

Rebecca couldn’t see anything, she was blind. All she could do was feel, counting the seconds with fear and apprehension.

The shockwave hit them, though had dissipated greatly, being more like a warm burst of breath than what had surely been hellfire within the city. It passed within a second, leaving nothing but an eerie silence behind.

There was no sound, nothing, not even the swishing of trees or the song of birds. The world was dead.

Ashley eventually got off of her, allowing her to sit back up.

Rebecca looked around in awe. The entire forest was covered in dust and ash. Though this eerie sight paled as she looked back towards the city.

The mushroom cloud lingered, reminding Rebecca of a photo she’d seen in a history textbook. It was of a nearly identical pillar erupting from one of a dozen cities which had met a similar fate back on Earth.

Beyond the decimated suburb, the rest of the city was still standing. Though it was obvious that there was much destruction left behind. There were already many fires spreading and she could see that one of the massive skyscrapers was leaning at a terrifying angle. If it survived the next few hours would be an important question that determined how much higher the causality count would climb.

“We…” Ashley started, though her words faded.

She was pale, ghastly, unable to peel her gaze away from the horrors of the city.

Rebecca couldn’t honestly blame her. Her eyes were also affixed to the carnage, refusing to flinch away. She was speechless. Every attempt to muster so much as a syllable would die upon her tongue.

“Fuck,” is what she finally said. That was the only word that could even begin to articulate the maelstrom within her mind.

Ashley could only nod in agreement.

* * *

[Visit my website if you want to find more of my work](https://kimberlyeab.carrd.co/)


	3. Chapter 3

When Rebecca was a girl, one of her neighbour’s homes had caught fire. It had raged for the entire night, starting small before consuming the house in an utter inferno. She could still remember the faces of her neighbours as they watched their world come to an end.

It was an expression that Ashley wore. A hollow and vacant numbness. A thousand-yard stare that she had no hope of breaking.

Yet, her wife continued to lead the car onwards, heading straight for the smoldering pillars of smoke in the distance.

They were heading into the heart of Tartarus, into the hellish domain of Hades.

“What happened?” Ashley whispered.

It was not a question meant for Rebecca so she didn’t respond. Instead, she looked down at her phone, seeing that they were still outside of the communication network.

If there even was a communication network anymore.

The road leading towards the city was barren with no one in their right mind following their lead.

The opposite direction was a different story. A few hours ago, there was the occasional car or truck. An hour ago, it was practically a convoy. Now there was gridlock as people blared their horns, trying to escape the carnage.

“Where are they going to go?” Rebecca asked.

Ashley shook her head. “Who knows? I’m sure some of the satellite cities can take in some of the refugees but… a whole city’s worth?”

“Surely, the colonial administration planned for this,” Rebecca said. “They have to have some sort of strategy in place if Athens were to be destroyed.” She motioned towards the sky. “I mean, fuck, we’ve been at war for generations.”

Ashley didn’t respond and instead kept her eyes on the road.

Even from within the vehicle, Rebecca knew that the world around them was growing sickly. She could see the haze in the air. It was a slight tinge of orange that seemed to cling to everything.

What were they honestly doing, heading into the epicentre of this miasma?

“What are we doing?” Rebecca asked.

Ashley spared her the smallest of glances. “Heading back into the city and seeing if we can help.”

“How can we possibly help?” Rebecca asked, frowning. “We’re just two women.”

“We’re members of the Sacred Band, Rebecca,” Ashley growled. Her grip tightened on the wheel. “It’s our duty to make sure that people are safe.”

Rebecca didn’t know what to say. Though thankfully her phone saved her from having to figure something out. It buzzed and the screen brightened, showing that she’d just got a text from her mother.

_“Please tell me you’re safe!”_

It was from three hours ago.

Rebecca winced and quickly unlocked it, sliding her finger across the screen to draft a response and send it. She then immediately went over to her phone’s news app.

**Hostile Forces Strike at Thebes!**

Rebecca felt a pit in her stomach. She couldn’t bear to read it, instead slipping her phone back into her jacket’s pocket.

“What happened?” Ashley asked.

Rebecca swallowed down her anxiety. “We were attacked.”

“Attacked,” Ashley whispered. She shook her head. “That’s impossible, the… the Themiskyra should’ve intercepted whatever did this. Or fuck, one of those defense platforms near Thermopylae.” Her expression darkened. “No way, not in a million years.”

Rebecca forced the phone out of her pocket, flipping the app back open.

“At fourteen hundred hours,” she began to read. “The Anatolians managed to slip through the Thermopylae warp gate, using a large attack craft of incredible speed. While the craft took extensive damage, it managed to outrun the defense platforms and head on a crash course for Thebes, landing in a suburb south of Athens. Captain Constantine and General Valentine have not responded to comments as to how these unfortunate events were allowed to unfold.” She swallowed a lump in her throat. “Casualties are currently estimated at somewhere between…”

Ashley growled. “I get it.”

Rebecca winced, placing her phone back in her lap.

Something off to the side of the road caught her attention. It was a farm with a series of tents pitched in the middle of a grazing field. The tents were white with red crosses on the side. A helicopter had landed amongst them with a few figures dressed in olive drab unloading it.

“Pull in,” Rebecca said, pointing to the turn up ahead.

Ashley shook her head. “Why?”

She then followed Rebecca’s hand, noticing the operation. So, she turned the car and they started along the short dirt path.

They came to a stop in front of the farmhouse. A steel faced officer was currently chatting with a pair of women who had clearly been enjoying retirement before this went down.

When the car shut off, they turned and looked at Ashley and Rebecca.

Ashley got out quickly and slammed her door shut, waving to the people on the patio.

“We were on our way back to the city,” she explained. “And couldn’t help but notice that you had something going on here.”

One the elderly women nodded. “The Civil Guard needed a place to put up some medical tents.”

Rebecca frowned. “There must be enough space for at least five hundred people in there.”

“More than that,” the officer said. “And it’s already filled up to capacity. Along with every other fucking site we’ve set up around the city.” He worked his jaw. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Just wanted to know how we can help out, Sir?” Ashley said.

“You got any medical experience?” he asked.

Ashley bit her lip. “Just the basic first aid training they give all the new recruits back in the Academy.”

“Enough to set a splint and stop bleeding?” he asked.

Ashley nodded.

“And what about you?” he asked, looking at Rebecca who had just gotten out of the car. “First aid?”

“Yes,” she said. “But I also have a certificate in light machinery maintenance.”

He nodded. “You can probably help set up the generators we just got shipped in.” He huffed. “Most of our gear is in desperate need of a little maintenance.”

He waved them over and then glanced at the two retirees. “Sorry to cut things short but…”

The other older woman shook her head. “Wouldn’t dream of taking any more of your time, Captain.”

“May the gods grant you their boons,” he said, bowing his head before making his way down the stairs. “Follow me, I’ll show you where everything is.”

He marched forwards with Ashley and Rebecca falling in behind him.

“How are things in the city?” Ashley asked.

The officer shook his head. “No idea. All the information we’re getting is incredibly spotty. One person will tell us that everything is fucked and the next will say that the only heavy damage is in the suburbs. Don’t know what to believe at this point.”

Rebecca frowned. “Were you not stationed in the city?”

“No, our outfit is from Fort Corfu. We started setting up medical centres around the city when we heard news about that shuttle crashing.” He frowned. “This is actually my first time even being close to the city.” He snorted. “Wish it was under better circumstances.”

He motioned towards a small tent set up in the middle of the larger tents.

“That’s where our medical team is set up,” he said. “So far we only have two doctors and six medics, so I’m sure they’ll be happy to get whatever help they can.” He frowned. “Though I really hope that you don’t have a weak stomach.”

“Never tested it before,” Ashley admitted. She looked apprehensive but shoved these thoughts aside, offering an unsteady smile. “But I’m sure I can handle it.”

“That’s good to hear,” the officer said.

He then motioned for Rebecca to follow him, which she did, moving around one of the tents.

As they neared it, Rebecca could hear all sorts of horrifying and gristly sounds. There was weeping, sobbing, agony, and pain. There were gurgles and whimpers that sounded sickly and unnatural, the death throes of a community’s worth of people.

And while the sounds were bad, the smells were so much worse. They leaked out from under the flaps of the tent, wafting sickness, filth, and antiseptic outwards in every possible direction.

It was enough to make Rebecca go green. And as she looked at the officer, she noticed that he suffered from a similar affliction.

They turned a corner and there was a team of three Civil Guard setting up some kind of electrical system.

The officer loudly cleared his throat and they all stopped and looked at him. Though their gaze soon fell to Rebecca.

“Folks this is…” the officer frowned. “Actually, I never did get your names.”

“I’m Rebecca,” she said, offering a polite smile. “Rebecca Agincourt-Reed.”

The officer nodded. “I’m Elliot and this is…”

A woman with green hair and olive skin bowed. “Caroline.”

“Trevor,” a darker man with his hair shaved short said, offering a half-hearted salute.

The last woman, a blonde with cold green eyes and red hair, looked at her. “Angie.”

“Rebecca here has a certificate in…” Elliot worked his jaw, obviously forgetting the detail.

Rebecca smiled. “Light machinery maintenance, repair, and manufacturing.”

Elliot nodded. “Thought she might be able to help you with getting our generators in working order.”

Trevor chuckled and motioned to one of these generators. “We’ll take all the help we can get, Sir.”

Rebecca followed him, watching as he took a knee beside it. He flipped open a panel on the side and showed off a whole lot of wiring and internal components.

“So fun fact,” he said. “But the colonial administration has been incredibly sparse with their disaster relief budget over the last couple of decades. What that means for us is that most of our equipment is decades old and has gone years without a proper inspection.”

Angie snorted. “I mean why invest money in practical stuff when we can burn a fuckton on useless military bullshit like the Sacred Bands.”

“Angie,” Caroline interjected. “This isn’t the time for…”

“We’ve been working nonstop since we got here, Caroline,” Angie grumbled. “The least you can let me do is blow off a little steam.”

Caroline looked at Trevor who simply shrugged his shoulders.

“Whatever,” she murmured.

Instead of sticking around, she went away to work on something far away from Angie.

Angie nodded. “I mean think about it. Whatever they can do, can easily be handled by those MAC guns on the Thermopylae stations. All they do is suck up precious resources for some Warhawk’s wet dream that we’ll one day take the fight back to the Anatolians.” She scoffed. “Like that’ll ever happen in any of our lifetimes.”

“That might be true,” Trevor said. “But the last I checked those stations didn’t stop that ship either. The entire defense force shit the bucket, not just the Themiskyra.”

“Yeah, but we could’ve easily manned three more stations with the assets we’re wasting on that old tin can,” Angie rebutted. “Do you know how much that tech costs to upkeep? It's literally centuries old.”

Rebecca held her tongue and instead knelt beside the generator.

People were angry and they had every right to be. Still, it made her blood boil, hearing these glorified weekend warriors taking a crap on her mothers’ legacy.

Work would provide solace, it always had.

She glanced at Trevor. “Do you have a tool kit somewhere?”

He nodded and reached for his belt, pulling off a small plastic box and handing it to her.

“You can probably put it to better use than me,” he said, frowning. “I’m used to fixing radios and doing IT work. This stuff is pretty much Latin to me.”

Rebecca placed the kit atop the generator, flipping it open and grabbing a multitool. With it in hand, she flicked the generator’s power button, staring intently at the various components. Nothing seemed to happen. Most of the internals operated as they should. All but one of them.

She flicked the generator off and started to get to work with the multitool.

The tech was archaic but still it was something she was vaguely familiar with. She managed to loosen a copper diode, drawing it out and inspecting it. The material was tarnished and caked in a mixture of a nasty green and black gunk.

“Do you have spare parts?” Rebecca asked.

Trevor took the piece from her. “I think so?”

He squinted at the diode before nodding and heading over to a workbench. A moment later, he returned with another copper diode. This one looked far more modern, and more importantly, gunk free.

“We need to hurry and get this shit online,” Angie whispered. “They’re going to have the serious medical equipment here in a few. And they’ll be pissed if we don’t have at least some sort of working power system.”

Rebecca nodded and reached inside the generator, slipping the newer diode into place. She tightened it and closed the lid, giving it a hefty slap for good measure. She then pressed the power button once again.

The machine turned over and revved up slowly. She held her breath, praying that it would work. Then it caught, sputtering to life.

“Nice one, kid,” Trevor said. “Should be enough to power at least one of these tents.”

Rebecca beamed at the compliment. Though before she could respond, her phone started to ring. She reached for it and saw that it was a call from one of her mothers.

“Mom?” she answered, holding it to her ear.

“Oh, by the gods, thank fuck you’re alright,” Theodora said. The tears were evident in her voice. “Where have you been?”

“Sorry mom, the… the… it took down the communication network,” Rebecca said.

Theodora drew in a shaky breath. “Are you somewhere safe?”

“We are.” Rebecca looked at Trevor who simply nodded, allowing her to slip away. “We’re at some farm near the city. They’ve set up a hospital here and…”

“Are you hurt!” Theodora yelped. “Please tell me…”

Rebecca shushed her. “Shh, shh, shh, it’s okay mom. We’re fine, we’re just trying to help out in whatever way we can. How are… how are things with you? Is everyone…”

“We’re fine,” Theodora said. “Thankfully, Ashley’s parents live on the north side of the city. Only thing we have to worry about here is the air pollution and a lack of power.”

“Has there been any word from…” Rebecca started. She glanced to make sure Angie wasn’t looking. “From the Bands?”

“If so, the message hasn’t got through to us yet,” Theodora said. “Fucking hell, this is such a mess, sweetie.”

“I know, mom, I know.” Rebecca sighed. “I’m just glad that everyone is okay.”

“Thank the gods you weren’t in your apartment,” her mother said.

Rebecca was about to ask why but then it hit her like a truck full of bricks. Her apartment building would’ve been on the edge of that massive crater.

What were the chances that her roommates were still alive?

She drew in a breath, letting it out slowly. “Me too, mom. Just… if you hear anything, give me a shout, okay?”

“Will do, sweetie,” Theodora whispered. “I’m just so thankful that you’re alright.”

“I need… I need to get back to work,” Rebecca said. “We’re trying to get some generators up and running.”

“Can you send me your coordinates?”

Rebecca nodded. “I’ll do it right after this call, mom.”

“I love you, ‘Beca.”

“I love you too, mom.”

The call came to an end and she quickly sent over her coordinates before opening her texting app. It’d been about a week since she’d last heard from her roommates.

She sent off a quick text and waited a moment.

_Failed to Send, Number has Either Been Disconnected or is Out of the Service Area._

Rebecca bit her lip. “There’s still a chance, right?”

“Always a chance,” a familiar gruff voice replied.

She looked over her shoulder and saw Trevor standing there. He looked grim.

“Sorry,” Rebecca said. “Just got a call from my mom, she wanted to make sure…”

“That you’re alright?” he asked, offering a slim smile. “Surprised that the network is even back up.”

“I think it’s pretty spotty,” Rebecca explained. “I’m still trying to get through to my roommates. They were…” She bit her lip. “Pretty close to the epicentre.”

Trevor nodded and looked quite dark. Before he could reply however, he turned towards the workstation, making his way over to it.

“For their sake, I hope that the network is just being spotty,” he said.

Rebecca started to follow him back. “Me too.”

As they approached, Caroline came out from under the flap of the nearest medical tent with a thick power cable in hand. She was pale and a little green.

“Fuck,” she whispered.

“Are you alright?” Angie asked.

Caroline shook her head slowly. “Dude, please don’t make me go back in there.”

“That bad?” Angie whispered.

Caroline nodded quickly, holding out the cable to whoever was willing to take it.

Angie looked like she was about to but flinched away at the last second.

Trevor sighed and grabbed it from her. “I’ll handle this.”

* * *

Hours went by with scarcely enough time for Rebecca to even catch her breath. The generators took most of the day, as it was, but when they were done, there was all sorts of archaic equipment that needed her attention.

It wasn’t until the sun started to set that Rebecca was allowed a moment to herself.

She looked down at her fingers. Every single nail was chipped or broken, her fingers were covered in grease, and an alarming number of Band-Aids covered her hands. There wasn’t a single muscle in her body which didn’t protest against the idea of getting back up.

“You did good,” Angie said.

Rebecca stirred, watching as she approached. She held two bottles of water and offered one to Rebecca.

Rebecca drank hers like a woman in the dessert, greedily chugging the contents until the whole thing was drained.

“Thanks,” she rasped.

Angie smirked. “No problem.” She looked off into the distance. “It’s the least I could do.”

“Feels like we did a good day’s work,” Rebecca said.

Angie shook her head. “Nah. A good day’s work doesn’t leave you nearly this exhausted. This is a very bad day’s work. But it’s work that needed doing.” She offered a tight smile. “Don’t know where we would’ve been without you.”

“Glad I could help,” Rebecca whispered.

Angie nodded. “Your wife is taking a break near the medical tents if you want to see her.”

“Thanks for letting me know,” Rebecca said.

She got up slowly, wincing as she felt the fatigue of her body fighting back against her. Still, she managed to get up and started lurching around the medical tents. It was a short journey but one that felt like a marathon to her battered and well used body.

She made it to the front and saw that Ashley was leaning back against one of the many crates. Her eyes were closed and there was a glowing stick between her fingers.

Rebecca grunted and made her way over. “I didn’t know you smoked.”

Ashley stirred, opening her eyes. Though she smiled upon seeing her wife. Still, it was a tired smile; a well-worn expression of fatigue.

“I don’t,” she said. “But one of the doctors said it would help settle my nerves.”

“A doctor recommended that you smoke?” Rebecca asked.

She slumped down beside her wife, draping an arm over her shoulder. That’s when she noticed that Ashley was shaking. The tremors were sporadic but very pronounced.

“Anything to get me through the day,” Ashley whispered. “But all it's really doing is making me shake even worse.” She growled and flicked the stick away. “Stupid fucking nicotine.”

Rebecca looked down at Ashley, noticing that she was covered in dried blood. Her shirt, pants, and even her skin were marked by a tinge of red. It was enough to make her stomach roll though she tried her best to distract herself by looking at Ashley’s face, the one part not caked in gore.

“It’s fucked, babe,” Ashley whispered. “I keep pushing myself but people keep fucking dying.” She shuddered, tears pricking at her eyes. “There was this… this…”

She sobbed, wiping at her face with the back of her hand. Though this only managed to smudge her cheek with red.

“Sorry,” she whispered. “I really shouldn’t bug you with…”

“Babe,” Rebecca said, kissing her on the unbloodied part of her cheek. “You can bug me with whatever. We’re married.”

Ashley drew in a breath and nodded slowly. “There was this woman who was in really rough shape. Probably only a year or two older than us. Had three kids. She was hanging on but the kids… the kids not so much.” She swallowed down some of her misery. “The oldest went first and you could see just a little bit of her die. But she held on because she still had two left.”

Rebecca listened, cradling Ashley tightly against her.

“Then the middle kid went an hour later,” Ashley said. At this point there was no hope of combating the solid stream of tears. “And then the youngest a little after that. And well…” Ashley let out a string of dark and coarse laughter. “And of course, the mother went soon after. I spent hours with them.”

“Fuck,” Rebecca whispered. “I’m… I’m so sorry, Ash.”

Ashley shook her head. “And that was just one family in one tent in one medical centre.” Her hands started shaking again so Rebecca grabbed them and held on tight. “And I’m next to fucking useless. I can do stitches and apply burn cream. But you have these fuckers who are half dead and they expect someone with a first aid certificate to know what to do.”

“You’re doing the best you can,” Rebecca whispered.

Ashley growled. “Yeah, well my best isn’t fucking good enough, ‘Beca.”

There was pure rage in her eyes as she looked at Rebecca. Though upon seeing the shock plastered on her wife’s face it soon shifted to horror, then shame.

“Sorry,” Ashley whispered. “You…” She hiccupped, “you didn’t deserve that.”

“It’s been a long day,” Rebecca said, gently running her thumb over Ashley’s knuckles.

Ashley nodded sadly. “It has.”

“Mom phoned me, by the way,” Rebecca said, trying to change the subject.

Ashley paused for a moment, then it clicked. “Fuck, I didn’t even think about checking in on them.”

“You were busy,” Rebecca said, squeezing her quivering hands even tighter. “But they’re doing okay. There’s only a little bit of damage at your parent’s place.”

“That’s good,” Ashley said. She shuddered and looked at the tents. “I should… I should probably get back to work.”

Rebecca shook her head. “You need a little more time, babe. You’re not going to do any good shaking like this.” She bit her lip. “When’s the last time you’ve had anything to eat?”

“This morning,” Ashley said. “That granola bar for breakfast.”

“Same,” Rebecca said. She looked to the farmhouse. “Maybe we can see if they have anything to eat?”

As if to prove her assumption correct, she saw Trevor exit the farmhouse with a tray of food in his hands. He saw the duo and beamed, making his way over.

“Your hands are filthy,” Ashley said.

Rebecca looked towards them. “So are yours.”

“Glad I could find you two,” Trevor said. He knelt before them, holding out the tray. “Thankfully our hosts were nice enough to make us some food.”

Rebecca took the tray. Upon it were two bowls that were full of some kind of soup. There were also two glasses that contained an orange beverage.

“Ashley, this is Trevor, I’ve been working with him all day,” Rebecca explained.

“Pleasured,” Ashley said, trying to sound even remotely enthusiastic but falling flat.

“Likewise,” he said as he bowed his head. “But I’ll let you two have a little bit of privacy.”

With that, he went off, leaving them alone.

“Food smells good,” Rebecca said.

Ashley nodded slowly. Though as she reached for the spoon, her hand was still shaking too badly to actually handle it. Instead, she picked up the bowl with both hands. A little of the contents spilled out, on the journey to her mouth, but she drank from it with surprising greed. She only placed it back down when there was only a thin ration left on the bottom.

“It’s good,” she whispered.

Rebecca tried it herself. It was some kind of seafood soup with plenty of vegetables in it; a hearty stew. She then tried the beverage. It was warm and tangy, though it tasted finer than the nectars of Olympus to her still parched tongue.

“Not quite the honeymoon I had planned,” Ashley said, chuckling to herself.

Rebecca shook her head. “Nope, didn’t quite plan for this either.”

“Is there…” Ashley shivered. “Is there any news from the Bands?”

Rebecca flipped out her phone. “Not that I can tell. I think everyone is still in shock. They have more important things to worry about than a couple of new recruits.”

When Ashley picked up the bowl again, her hands were not shaking nearly as bad, allowing her to finish the rest of its contents.

“Fuck, I was starving,” she said.

Rebecca nodded, slowly savouring her own meal.

“Though fuck it if I know how all those injured people are going to get fed,” Ashley said. “We were supposed to get like twenty more doctors and forty nurses in at some point today. And we’ve got maybe another one or two and that’s just from people who trickled in while evacuating.”

“Things are fucked,” Rebecca said.

Ashley sighed. “Yeah, they are.”

Rebecca bit her lip, looking towards the tents. A doctor came out of one of them, looking just as tired as she felt. He drew forth a packet from his breast pocket and pulled out a cigarette, placing it between his lips.

“Are you going to be okay?” she asked.

“I’ll be honest.” Ashley shook her head. “I have no fucking idea.”

* * *

[Visit my website if you want to find more of my work](https://kimberlyeab.carrd.co/)


End file.
